Ashton chose to switch sides and take on the role of defense attorney for his son, 21-year-old Alexander, who was arrested in October and accused of driving drunk, because he loves him and believes in his right for the case to be heard in court.

"He tells you we here because the defendant committed a crime, we are here because the defendant is accused of committing a crime," Ashton said.

Ashton went after the state's case from the beginning of the opening statements and with the same vigor he used for years to prove guilt, except now he's pushing for acquittal.

The state says the younger Ashton was speeding a little after 2 a.m. back in October, that after he was stopped he smelled of booze, spoke with a thick tongue and was unsteady during field sobriety tests.